Theological Works

Justice requires judgment. The prophet Nahum declared that the crimes (Nahum 1:11) of Ninevah (the capital of Assyria) against Judah and the nations will be judged (1:3). Ninevah's day of distress is pictured as futile while an enemy conquers the mighty city (2:1-10) and her deeds are repaid (2:11-12). The “city of blood” then receives further woe not only for military cruelty, but also idolatry and occult practices (3:1-4). Nahum concludes by saying that all nations will rejoice when God brings justice by carrying out judgment down to Assyria's king himself (3:19). People today still cry out for justice against new Ninevahs, even atheists who see death as an escape from consequences. Yet, only God can provide true justice, since his justice is both temporal and eternal. Like Assyria's, every temporal evil committed yesterday till the end of the age will be righted by Christ (Revelation 19:11). All evil must be judged or else justice becomes a mockery, like in Universalism where there is no payment for wrongs. Thus, only those who accept Christ's just substitution for their judgment will enter into his presence (Romans 3:25).